Seven Days
by general wildcat
Summary: My first fanfic. It's a Chad and Taylor thing. Chad messes things up with their relationship and swears to win her back in seven days. So what does he have planned? Well there's only one way to find out! Could be rated K , but rated T just to be safe.


_Ok this is my first fanfic. Guess you could call it a one shot? Anyway, it focuses on Chad and Taylor. I read so many stories about them that I got inspired I guess. So if you like slowly escalating corny romance type stories, this one would probably fit the category. __Hope you enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: As nice as it would be, I do not own High School Musical or the characters._

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_How could he be so stupid? Maybe he wasn't the smartest guy in the world, but what he just did topped pretty much every stupid thing he's ever done. And he couldn't stop beating himself up inside. As much as he hated himself, and to admit it, it was true. Chad Danforth had an affair.

Ok, maybe that was an exaggeration. Truth was, it was one kiss. One in the spur of a moment. All he'd been doing while his girlfriend was out was talking to a close friend from college. Call the girl a wacky neighbor if you will, just dropping in unexpectedly to say hi or whatever. All she was, was a close friend. Nothing else. One talk about remembering college and just a calm moment between the two. That was all that led to the kiss. And just in time for Chad's girlfriend to walk in with a hurt and disappointed look. Chad had tried to tell his side of the story, he honestly did. He'd been trying for the past hour. Unfortunately for him, she still wouldn't come out of the bedroom. This wasn't what Chad had in mind when the couple moved in together while their best friends began planning a wedding. But he couldn't let his hopes get down that fast; he had to keep trying.

He knocked on the door once more, as he had been for sixty minutes. "Taylor? Tay, c'mon. I'm sorry. Can we please talk?" Chad asked.

Of course, Taylor McKessie, still locked inside the room, refused to respond. She remained sitting on the bed giving him the cold shoulder.

"I said I was sorry." Chad repeated, really trying to sound even more sincere about it than he had been. "Can I please just explain?" He knocked on the door once more. "Tay?" Still no answer. Chad sighed and leaned up against the door, unsure of what to do. He slowly pulled out his phone and looked at it, knowing he needed help. But he couldn't call Troy Bolton, his best friend. He and his fiancé Gabriella Montez were on a vacation and they really didn't want to be disturbed. Chad personally didn't get it; they'd only been out of college for what, two or three years, and after Troy and Gabriella got back together he jumped right into the question. But if the two really wanted their alone time, maybe Chad shouldn't call….

Who was he kidding? He needed help and he needed it now. The curly-haired man dialed Troy's number on his phone and awaited an answer. _Ring._ No answer. _Ring_. Nada. _Ring_. Still nothing. _Ring_. Voicemail. Chad sighed and hung up his phone. So he really was on his own for this. There was only one thing to do at a time like this. Mope on the couch and watch TV. Why not? With Taylor in the room what else was he supposed to do? Maybe all the guy needed was to clear his head. Chad gave in and ventured into the living room downstairs, where he switched on the television and turned on the Simpsons. It happened to be one of those Valentine's Day-esque episodes, particularly when the owner of a local store vowed to give his wife gifts for a whole week. Chad rubbed his chin as he watched. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea….

Ok so that night Chad slept on the couch. It was either that, or the guest room. Personally, Chad hated that room; the bed was so uncomfortable. And when it came time to morning Taylor still gave him the cold shoulder. They said nothing to each other until both had left the house.

"Ok, this was such a bad idea." Taylor sighed to herself as she walked in later that afternoon. "Forget moving in with him, I was better off in my own apartment." She shook her head and rubbed it. Her brown eyes scanned around the house. Chad should have been home by now, but the house was empty. She quirked an eyebrow and went upstairs. Not that she was worried, of course. And even if she were, she'd never admit it.

Peeking into the bedroom, Taylor turned on the light to see if anyone was there. Nothing. Except…. On the edge of the bed, facing the door, there was a note. Taylor walked over and picked it up, reading it to herself, "Taylor, I know I've said it a thousand times already but I'm really sorry about what happened." She rolled her eyes as they were removed from the note. _Only about thirty times or so, by my count._ She thought. Shaking her head, she continued reading: "But I wanna make it up to you. So I came up with a plan. Look around the house for the next week. They're going to prove that if I do kiss another girl it's never going to be the same thing that I feel with you. You'll see that you're the only girl for me. Just give it one chance. Keep a lookout for tomorrow. Love, Chad."

Well on the one hand, it did sound really sweet. Taylor shook her head. What was she thinking? She was angry with Chad, and with good reason. Whatever he was planning, she'll believe it when she sees it.

**Day One**

Taylor entered the bedroom to see another note lying on the edge of the bed. No…a piece of paper. She raised an eyebrow and walked over to it. Lifting up the sheet she could see the American flag across the background and her picture on the front. In big bold letters, the same as the flag, it read: "McKessie for President". Short and simple. Ok, so Chad had left her a sheet of paper that reminded her of her dream to run the country someday. Big deal.

She turned it over, curious to see if there was anything on the back. Indeed there was: a list of everything she was planning to do as president. Her eyes widened. "I can't believe it," she said to herself. Raising money for real charities, plans for bettering the economy, improving international relations…everything she wanted to do was all on there.

She quickly shook her head. "Ok, so Chad listens to be when I talk about my dream. How is that special?" Taylor asked herself.

Her eyes fell on another sheet of paper on the bed, faced down. Curious, she picked it up and looked at the front. There was a basketball net and a picture of Chad – looking much similar to the one Taylor had shown of Troy to Gabriella and the Scholastic Decathlon back in high school, realistic-like body and big dead – making a slam dunk into the net. Clear black letters spelled out: "Ban basketball and give these players some real jobs!"

Taylor couldn't help but let out a giggle. Ok, so she had to admit that it was funny. That Chad did listen to her and didn't always tune her out. But these were just so simple. No way he could do any better for six more days.

**Day Two**

Chad had been doing a good job of avoiding Taylor the past couple of days. He was being much sneakier than Taylor had anticipated. Still, she wasn't buying into his games. At least, not yet. She was getting ready for work, making sure she had everything together. All that was left was the fix her hair and apply and needed makeup. She adjourned into the bathroom and turned on the light, facing herself in the mirror. When she looked down for her brush it wasn't where she had left it. Instead there was yet another note, along with a small pack underneath it. Taylor had no idea what was inside; she sighed and reluctantly began reading the note, not wanting to be late.

"Tay, really hope you like these. I know how much you love wearing headbands so these are just for you. You look really good in red. But look carefully, you're favorite one is at the bottom. Love Chad." She read. Placing the note down, Taylor opened up the pack to reveal five red headbands. She had to admit, the texture was quite soft and they did look a bit expensive. But there was no way she buying into all this. She flipped the pack upside-down, and sticking out at the bottom was a different headband. It was a bit thicker but the rest, and a pattern of petite beads scattered across it. Of course Chad knew that it would be Taylor's favorite; it was purple, which happened to be her favorite color.

"Ok, so he listens to me. He pays attention to the smaller things about me." Taylor said to herself. "But it's no big deal, I'm not falling into his trap." She began combing her hair, though her eyes kept falling onto the headbands. "Actually, this will go nicely with my outfit…" she said to herself as she slowly and contently slipped the purple headwear through her neatly combed black hair.

**Day Three**

Taylor walked into the house exhausted. It had been a long day. So much conflict, so much work taken care of…all she needed now was a nice, hot, long shower. Moving some hair out of her face, her eyes widened as she looked around the living room. It was dimly lit and an aroma of popcorn was coming from the kitchen. On the couch lay two DVD's: a classic Disney movie and a romance movie. "What's….?" she started to ask.

"You look like you could use a break." Chad grinned as he stepped out of the kitchen with a rather large bowl of popcorn.

Taylor folded her arms, refusing to show any kind of weakness. "What are you insinuating?"

"It's the third day, remember?" Chad asked with a shrug. "This is it. It's all set up just for you." He placed the popcorn bowl on the coffee table and flashed her the two DVD's, one at a time. "'The Notebook'. I know it's your favorite chick flick. And you are a sucker for an old Disney movie once in a while. That's why we've got 'The Lion King'." He of course teased her with the second movie, unable to resist.

"So that's your idea for the third night of this gift-giving ritual?" Taylor assumed. "That we watch movies together."

"Actually, these are all you." Chad replied with a smile as he put the DVD's back down. "You just kick back and relax with these movies. And I'll just be upstairs." He playfully winked at her, then walked up the stairs.

Taylor watched him carefully as he left the room. As soon as Chad was out of sight, she sat down on the couch and began playing the movie. As much as she hated to admit it, watching any movie without Chad felt odd. If they were watching a movie she didn't like, most of her attention would be put on him. If they were watching one of those sappier movies, she'd cuddle closer to him. If it was a horror movie he would be there with his arm around her. Taylor rapidly shook her head. "No, I don't miss him." She told herself. "And I'm not falling for any of this either."

**Day Four**

Taylor finished eating her dinner and placed her plate in the sink. With her back turned to the living room, she could faintly hear the door closing behind her. Blinking, she spun on her heel to see who was there. No one. Hearing footsteps now, Taylor went upstairs. That's the direction they were heading in. She entered the bedroom, only to see Chad sitting on the bed and reading a book and a bookmark carefully sticking out of it.

She folded her arms and glared at him. "Alright, as much as I'm trying not to talk to you, you can still inform me somehow of when you're going to miss a meal. I almost ended up eating your plate." She stated.

Chad looked up at her. "Sorry Tay." He apologized. He carefully closed the book and left the bookmark where it was. "I was at the bookstore and I kinda got caught up reading this."

"You? At the bookstore?" Taylor asked doubtfully. She cocked her head to see the title. She squinted a bit, trying to get a better look at it from the doorway. "'Of Pride and Prejudice'?" she questioned. Her gaze shifted back to Chad. "Is that what it is?"

"Well, I think so." He admitted, walking over to her. "I mean, isn't it a book you always wanted?"

Taylor was quiet for a moment. She had seen that book numerous times and she had always planned on purchasing it. But every time she wanted to, there was another book that caught her eye or one that she needed for studies and such. But how would Chad know that? _Of course, _she thought as she remembered. One night in high school they had gone out, and passed by a book store as they walked home. The book happened to be in the window and Taylor mentioned it to Chad. She snapped out of her flashback and shook her head. "So what are you saying? This is the next part in your little scheme?"

"It's not a scheme." Chad shook his head honestly. He handed Taylor the book. "But it is for you. _Just_ for you." He snuck a peck on her cheek as he walked out. "By the way, you were right. It is a good book." He added before heading downstairs.

Once again he had caught Taylor off guard. She was frozen for a moment, only to shake her head again. So Chad was being sweet and thoughtful. What was he trying to prove? Was he really going somewhere with this? _No, he's just trying to butter me up. And it's not going to work._ She thought. But even though her stubbornness wouldn't let her admit it, it was working.

**Day Five**

"You're back early." Chad observed as Taylor walked in the front door. He had been sitting at the couch flipping channels.

"Yeah." Taylor nodded in response, still barely talking to him – or attempting to, anyway. "Why aren't you still out?"

"Day off." He shrugged. "You know, place is closed." He shut off the TV and walked over to Taylor as she was hanging up her light jacket. "So, what do you say we head out somewhere?"

"You have got to be kidding me." Taylor replied, nearly yelling at him. "Can you really be that shallow? I told you, I'm not talking to you and I'm not going out with you. You're lucky I'm even barely sharing a room with you."

"Oh, so you don't wanna know the next part then." Chad teased.

Taylor moaned. "Do you really find this entertaining? What is really your plan behind this, Chad Danforth? You cannot keep dragging me like a mouse forever. You know you can't win me over with moves and popcorn, or headbands, or anything else."

"But I really worked hard on this one." Chad said, though the hurt in his voice was hard to tell if it was fake or real. "I know you read that note Taylor, and I'm not gonna stop proving to you how I feel."

She eyed him suspiciously. "You are really stubborn, you know that?" she questioned. Chad smiled modestly and shrugged. Taylor shook her head, but let a minor smile show. "If I let you drag me to like the mouse I am to that cheese will you give it a rest?"

Chad chuckled. Even when she was angry, there was always a sense of humor to be shown somehow. Chad liked seeing that from her. "See for yourself." He replied in a tempting voice. He took his car keys and went out to his car.

Taylor followed him curiously. Just out of curiosity. She refused to let him see that he was on the verge of seducing her. Maybe in a way he was, but there was no way Taylor would let him know that. He'd never give it a rest and he'd think he could get off the hook. Well, that wasn't going to happen.

Nonetheless, she rode with Chad to their destination. It turned out to be the beach, where they had gone out together numerous times in the past. But she remained in the car once they parked for what felt like more than fifteen minutes. Chad had gone out prior, telling her to stay put. And with him he had taken a rather large picnic basket from the back seat. Still, she had no idea what he was planning. Staring out the window, she tapped her fingers impatiently. This was getting ridiculous. Taylor blinked and nearly jumped back when she saw Chad smiling and staring at her from outside through her window. "You can come out now." He teased. Taylor rolled her eyes and exited the car. Chad smiled and covered her eyes with both his hands, getting behind her.

"What are you doing?" Taylor gasped.

Chad only kept smiling and led her onto the sand, his hands still over her eyes. "You'll see." He teased. In no time at all, both of them were on the sand. Chad had finally stopped walking and Taylor halted as well. "Ready?" he asked. As soon as he saw her nod, Chad removed his hands. Taylor blinked wide-eyed as she stared at her surroundings. Right there on the beach was a blanket sitting on the sand, and a large picnic basket at one of its corners. "It's got all your favorite snacks and everything." Chad smiled. "And that's not even the best part." He led her to the other side of the blanket so she could get a better view. He then pointed downwards. There, right there in the sand, was a message written. It was a heart with what looked like an arrow going through it and – you guessed it – "CD&TM" written inside it.

Taylor turned to Chad, still in disbelief. "What did you-" she started.

Chad only chuckled and put a finger to her mouth. "That's my secret." He smiled. "And when was the last time we were here anyway?"

"When did we have the time, Chad?" Taylor asked as she removed her finger from her lips.

"Yeah…" he nodded as he turned to the ocean, just staring at it. "Where did the time go?"

Taylor couldn't help but smirk. This was her opportunity. She knew what he wanted to do now. She had been planning this since they arrived here, but now was the perfect opportunity. She silently and slowly took a step closer to Chad, one at a time. Her hands slowly slipped towards his back. She leaned in and….

Chad gasped as his face met with the shallow salt water, and his body with the sand. "What the…?" he gasped, his head springing to Taylor, now laughing down at him.

"I can't believe you fell for that." She giggled. "You're right. When was the last time we were here? I haven't pushed you in the water since then."

Chad smiled playfully and reached out for her. "Ok, you asked for it now!" he started laughing. He pulled her into the water, only to have her land on top of her. Taylor sat up, but he only continued laughing. Taylor responded by splashing water in Chad's face, and he then chased her deeper into the water. They stayed in there for a while, just swimming around and chasing each other, or splashing each other. And every time Chad tried to land even the slightest peck on Taylor's cheek or forehead, she just giggled and pushed him underwater.

They eventually exited the ocean and sat on the blanket. Both appeared happy as they continued laughing. "Ok, so that was kind of nice." Taylor confessed.

"Oh yeah, just like how I kind of love basketball." Chad said sarcastically through his laughter. They slowly calmed down with their laughing and Chad leaned in towards Taylor. She gave him a look as she backed away. Chad obeyed and sat straight up. He looked back out to the ocean and rubbed the back of his neck. When his gaze fell back on Taylor she was rubbing her arms slightly. "You ok?" he wondered.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Just a little chilly from the water is all."

"Well, food isn't the only thing I packed with us." Chad replied. He opened one side of the picnic basket and pulled out his U of A jacket, then placed it on Taylor's shoulders.

"Your jacket?" she asked, looking at him.

He smiled and shook his head. "Your jacket." He corrected. "Just thought…you know, that you might like it.

Taylor took a long look at Chad for a moment. Both were silent, and neither made any sudden moves. She finally nodded. "Yeah. I do." She spoke. When Chad smiled and looked away, Taylor softly kissed his cheek. Not that it meant anything, it didn't. At least, that's what she was trying to tell herself. But as she looked back at the ocean, Chad looked back at Taylor. He thought right then and there about kissing her. But he knew she wouldn't let him. So instead he quietly moved a little closer to her, both looking out at the ocean. He attempted to slip his arm around Taylor, even as she held the jacket around her for warmth. And she let him.

**Day Six**

Though she wanted to deny it, Taylor felt like she was on cloud nine. Last night had been really great with Chad, and she was starting to remember why she fell for him. If that was his plan, then he was succeeding. But he still wasn't off the hook. She remembered that he still had two more days in store for her. If only she knew what awaited her upstairs in the bedroom.

After grabbing a mild mid-afternoon snack from the kitchen, Taylor walked up to the bedroom. She didn't know what to expect, but she knew there had to be something there, since there was a lack of anything romantic in the kitchen or living room. What she didn't expect to find was a bouquet of flowers waiting for her on the bed. Taylor stared at it for a moment, then slowly walked over to it and picked it up, then sat down on the bed. There had to be at least ten flowers in the bouquet. She took in the sweet aroma of the roses, but something about them was different. They were fake.

"That little scamp…" Taylor said to herself once she realized it. She shook her head and nearly put the flowers down, until a rather large note was found sticking out of one of the sides. Raising an eyebrow, she pulled it out. "Did I surprise you? Don't worry, they may be fake but they're from a real flower shop. Just keep reading and you'll see why." Taylor read. Even before reading the note she knew they were from Chad. What she didn't understand was why the card had to be nearly three times bigger than the average one with flowers. Shaking her head, she continued reading, eventually becoming mesmerized into the message.

_There's a dozen roses here. Each one is for something that I love most about you, even if there aren't enough flowers in New Mexico to express it. These may be fake but that only means they'll never die. Just like you'll never die in my heart. But you know that I care about you and love more about you than any rose can show. I love your eyes. They're the first things I notice when I see you, so big and brown. I love how strong and independent you are. You never let anyone walk all over you, but you always lure me in somehow. I love how smart you are. You're the smartest girl I've ever known and your brilliance always shines bright. I love your hair, whether it's short or long. It looks good any way you put it in, and it's always so soft and silky. I love it when you get mad. Maybe not at me, but you just look so cute when you're angry. I love your laugh. It always surprises me how it can come out of nowhere and you let me bring it out. And I love your voice. It's so flawless when you sing, like something I can hear in a dream. I love seeing your sensitive side. It lifts anyone's spirits and comes out at just the right time. I love your style. You always look so beautiful no matter what you wear. I love it when you're ready to bite your nails. It may just be a bad habit to you that you need to break, but to me it's just another excuse to hold your hand. I love your lips. They're so soft and tender; I can almost taste cherries when you wear that special lip gloss. But more than anything, I love your smile. On the days when I'm down the most, all I need to do is see one smile form you and everything's better._

Taylor just stared at the note, completely dazed. She knew that Chad didn't always let out his sweet and caring side, the he always joked about not having one, but she never would have expected something like this from him. Sure it was mushy and sappy, but it was also sweet and romantic. If he was really trying to build everything from nearly the past week up into something extravagant then he was really going all out.

**Day Seven**

One text message. That was all Taylor got from Chad that day. He had left the house early and from what it sounded like in the message, he wasn't going to be home after work. All it said was to meet him at the park. At their place. Taylor knew where that place was. On a small hill right under a tree, where they would just go to sit and talk. He really had to have built something up really big for them to meet there. But what could be bigger than the flowers? Either way, Taylor was going to find out. The suspense had finally built up long enough for her to no longer take it. She had to see what he had been planning for the past six days.

She left after work and briefly went home, only to get out of her work suit and high heels. It only took her a few minutes to change, and there was no way she could walk to the spot in those heels. She went to the park and walked through it until she got to their spot. Taylor didn't know what to prepare herself for this time, but she was about to find out. As she approached Chad she could see him sitting on the bench staring at the sky, a slight breeze blowing a few leaves past him. Taylor walked up to him and lightly tapped him on the shoulder from behind. "Hey." She greeted.

"Hey yourself." Chad replied as he turned to see her.

Taylor moved a strand of hair out of her face and sat beside him. "I thanked you for the flowers last night."

"You did?" he inquired, confused. "When?"

"After you fell asleep." Taylor explained. "I heard you come in shortly after I went to bed and you collapsed on the couch. You must have been exhausted after a long day. So I walked over to you, thanked you for the flowers, and went back upstairs." She didn't dare tell Chad that she had kissed him while he was dozing either. Taylor remembered it clearly: she saw Chad sleeping on the couch and crept over to him. She had whispered what she said in his ear and then kissed him on the cheek before going back to bed. But if she told him that there was really a kiss involved, he'd never let her live it down. But thanks to Taylor's stubbornness once again she refused to admit her feelings. And she wouldn't – at last not until this last part was revealed.

Chad could almost feel heat rising to his cheeks. "Guess I'm a heavy sleeper than I thought."

Taylor couldn't help but giggle. "Yeah, you are." She nodded. She leaned back on the bench and spread her legs out on the grass below. "So after six days of food, headbands, flowers, notes, and everything else in the middle, how are you finally going to end it all?"

Chad faintly chuckled. "I'm only gonna end it all if I have you back." He confessed. "That's all I've been planning for the past week. Just to get you back and prove to you that you're more to me than just some girl I'm dating and living with. That you're more to me than anything else."

Taylor could already see him reach into his pocket. "You are not pulling out a certain piece of jewelry." She warned. She sat up straight and shook her head on the spot. "no, Chad. You don't even have to ask anything. The answer is no."

Chad blinked as he started pulling out a thin piece of gold jewelry. He seemed hurt and confused, and he didn't even have the chance to say anything. "So you don't want my mom's bracelet then?"

"No I don't want your mother's-" she started and immediately cut herself off. "Pardon?"

Chad revealed a thin gold bracelet that he pulled out of his jeans pocket. "I wanted to give you my mom's bracelet." He repeated. She stared at him blankly, but he continued. "Tay, you know my mom died when we were freshmen in college." He sighed, remembering the hard time he had back then. "And besides this, the only thing I have left of her is her pictures. I was allowed to keep any one thing I wanted from her, and I chose this. It was her favorite piece of jewelry and she never went anywhere without it."

For a moment Taylor was silent. But she couldn't feel more relieved. She thought that Chad was going to…. But thank god he didn't. She wasn't ready and she wanted to wait a little longer. But even if what he wanted to give her was different than what she expected, Taylor still didn't understand one thing. "Wait, why would you give me her bracelet?"

"Because I've kept this for six years. It was my good luck charm and I never did anything without it close by, even if it was just in my pocket." Chad said. He looked Taylor right in the eyes. "But I have a new good luck charm now Taylor. Someone who's really important to me and someone that I never wanna lose. And I want her to know that I can trust her with anything." He took Taylor's hands in his, but never once took his eyes off her. "That's why I want her – you – to have this bracelet."

"Chad I couldn't-" Taylor started.

Chad shook his head and cut her off. "Yes you can. It's yours now." He slipped the jewelry on her wrist before she knew it. "And I'm yours. If you'll have me."

Taylor's eyes finally met with Chad's. She slowly allowed herself to melt in them, just as she used to. She remained silent, trying not to let too much emotion show through her own eyes. "You're such a lunkhead." Taylor giggled softly. She moved in closer to Chad and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug.

"Yeah." Chad smiled as he pulled her in. He wrapped his arms around her and gently rubbed her back as he felt her fingers roaming through his hair. He kissed her dangerously close to the lips, knowing that there'd be more waiting when they got home. He finally rested his head against hers and added dreamily with a smile, "But I'm your lunckhead."

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_That's the end of this one! More stories to come. Feel free to review if you wish.  
_


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